5/1/09 The Courier (LA): Terrebonne emergency-panel members blow off meeting

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20090501/ARTICLES/905019921/1212?Title=Terrebonne-emergency-panel-members-blow-off-meeting

Terrebonne emergency-panel members blow off meeting

By Naomi King

Staff Writer

Published: Friday, May 1, 2009 at 12:50 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, May 1, 2009 at 12:50 p.m.

HOUMA – Elders left in parking lots with nowhere to go, business owners unable to get through police roadblocks to provide essential services, and confusion as to when and how residents could get to their homes were among the problems encountered after Hurricane Gustav last year.

But most members of an advisory committee formed to help prevent such problems in the future failed to make a scheduled Thursday meeting. And officials say meeting attendance is a chronic problem for the group.

Only two of the 11 members on the Parish Councilís Emergency Evacuation and Shelter Advisory Committee have been to all four meetings held since October.

The majority of members have attended two to three meetings, and four have been to one or no meetings.

The committee was created by the council because of logistical mishaps before and after hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Members have already given suggestions on improvements to school officials, social-service agencies and the parishís Office of Emergency Preparedness.

For Thursday’s 4 p.m. meeting at Government Tower only three of 11 members showed up. In order to vote or make any decisions, a public body must have a quorum, which is half of the members plus one.

Parish Councilman Clayton Voisin, Houma evacuee Mickey Fonseca and parish Housing and Human Services Director Darrel Waire were the only members to attend.

The Red Cross’s newest representative attended, but he must be appointed by the council before sitting on the committee.

Absent were Councilwoman Teri Cavalier and Chairwoman Arlanda Williams, evacuee Herman Torregano, Houma evacuee Tommy Harris, State Rep. Joe Harrison, parish volunteer coordinator Rene Rhodes and Terrebonne Sheriff’s Office Maj. Malcolm Wolfe.

After the September storms, residents complained about the re-entry process, a lack of communication by officials to residents, poor coordination between the local and state governments regarding the state’s public bus and shelter system.

A committee focused on emergency planning, such as Terrebonne’s, has the potential to be productive and a great model for other communities, said Ben Smilowitz, founder and executive director at the Connecticut-based nonprofit Disaster Accountability Project. But, he said, he’s concerned about the committee’s effectiveness considering the parish is still revising its emergency plan and not released the results yet.

“Citizen engagement around disaster preparedness is key,” Smilowitz said. “You can’t have a token committee. It has to be done right.”

The committee’s primary function has been collecting concerns and suggestions and passing them onto parish Emergency Preparedness Director Earl Eues. Eues said the committee provides valuable insight and members should try to maintain attendance.

Like Eues, Voisin said he believes the timing of the meetings, typically 4 p.m. on weekdays, has contributed to attendance that Voisin described as “not as good as I’d like.” Meetings will now be at 5 p.m., Voisin said.

Low member turnout hurts the committee, Fonseca said. But, he added, more public participation is also needed.

Some committee members could not be reached for comment. Wolfe and Harrison said theyíve missed meetings because of other obligations.

Wolfe said he was also not aware of two of the meetings.

Harrison pointed to his involvement in the Legislature, including the House Appropriations Committee, particularly significant because of looming state budget cuts.

When asked why he continues to sit on the committee despite these commitments, Harrison said his colleagues put his name up for the seat and he warned them of his scheduling conflicts.

Here’s a rundown of committee member turnout, based on council office records:

Teri Cavalier, council representative, 3 out of 4.

Arlanda Williams, council chairwoman, 3 out of 4.

Clayton Voisin, council representative, 3 out of 4.

Mickey Fonseca, evacuee representative, 4 out of 4.

Tommy Harris, evacuee representative, 2 out of 4.

Herman Terregano, evacuee representative, 3 out of 4.

Rene Rhodes, Parish President Michel Claudetís representative, 1 out of 4.

Darrel Waire, shelter worker and volunteer representative, 4 out of 4.

Joe Harrison, state legislative representative, 0 out of 4.

Malcolm Wolfe, Sheriffís representative, 1 out of a possible 3. He was not appointed to the committee until after the first meeting.

Ashlee Gunter, Red Cross representative, 1 out of a possible 2. She claims to have not received notice in time for the first meeting, and resigned before the third meeting because she no longer works for the Red Cross, according to council records.

The next committee meeting will be at 5 p.m. May 14 in the second-floor meeting room in the Government Tower, 8026 Main St., in Houma.

For information, call the council office at 873-6519.